Useless
by Thefirewithin29
Summary: The price to be payed was painfully high. No amount of money or labor could ever make up for the rebellion to the Capitolites. And so, families are ripped apart, blood is spilled, and hearts are broken. Kade Everdeen would do anything for her sisters. She'd die for them. But just after she turned nineteen, Kade was rendered useless. That is, until she makes a deal with the devil.
1. It Only Takes One

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own The Hunger Games trilogy or movie franchise. I only** **own my original characters and ideas. If anything isn't familiar to you, it's probably a work of my imagination.**

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Prologue.

There was a certain relief that came with being just outside of the Districts. Outside of Panem, where no one could touch you, where you were free to be whomever you wanted.

There were no set rules, descriptions of whom you had to be, how you had to act. You didn't _have_ to worry about all of the poverty and corruption, the sickness and strife.

Living in the Districts, was reality, while living in the Capitol was fantasy.

But, sitting there in the valley just overlooking the meadow, Kade could escape the harsh reality of the world, even if just for a little while.

The brunette just lay there for hours, waiting for the sun to come up, so many thoughts looming in that head of hers. She didn't want to think though, because when she thought she was brought back to the same thought over and over again.

 _I'm useless._

Every year, in the weeks leading up to the Reaping, the statement plagued her every thought.

She was twenty years old, it would be her second year just standing in the back and watching yet another innocent child be sent away to their death. Her second year holding her breath, and dreading the moment the female tribute was called.

For most, being over the age of eighteen would be a huge relief, but for Kade, it only made her feel useless. She could no longer protect her sisters. She could no longer volunteer in place for Katniss. And now, for Prim.

With a sigh, Kade sat up, feeling an immense wave of guilt wash over her. Normally, she wouldn't abandon her sisters the morning of a Reaping, it being even worse that it was Prim's first time being added to the pool.

She should be comforting her scared little sister, assuring her that everything was going to be okay. But, that morning, as she woke and took a sad glance at her sleeping sisters, Kade couldn't bring herself to say it.

The eldest Everdeen sister couldn't bring herself to lie like that. To tell Prim that everything was going to be fine, and that because her name was only in once, because they would be lies. And Kade never particularly enjoyed lying. Especially to her sisters.

So, instead of whispering sweet nothings and calming Prim in the early morning light, Kade sat alone in the valley past the fences with the dead corpse of a deer just twenty feet from her. Alone with nothing but her screaming thoughts and singing birds to fill the silence.

That is, until a rather large figure came lumbering up the hill, a bag of squirrels hurled over his shoulder.

Gale grinned when he saw the eldest Everdeen with her shoulders slumped and a dead deer to her side. "You just gonna let that thing rot?" He called out as he made his way to her.

"No. I was going to let you have the honor of carrying it for me." Kade said, her voice teasing. Gale's grin grew wider as he plopped himself down next to her, pushing his game bag off to the side.

"You know that you can't sell that. Not today." She nodded. "Where's Catnip?" Kade rolled her eyes at her friend's obvious crush on her sister.

"Katniss." She corrected a smirk on her face, "Is probably hunting."

Gale looked surprised at the shrug Kade gave. "You mean she's not with you?" He asked, his eyebrows shooting up. Kade shook her head, Gale snorting at the response. "Well, that's awfully rare."

Kade smiled, it was true, Katniss had been on her tail ever since they were little, always wanting to have a part in what her 'big sissy' was doing. And fora while, it bugged the hell out of Kade, but over the years she had become delightfully used to it. She was glad that they had such a close relationship.

The older girl's thought took a turn for the worse, though, and she quickly began to think about just how easily that relationship could be destroyed with the simple pick of a slip.

Gale, noting the solemn look on her face leaned over knocking shoulders with her. "They'll be fine." His voice held a commanding tone, urging his best friend to stop worrying so much.

"Do you remember the first year Katniss' name was in that bowl?" Kade questioned, her eyes scanning the valley, deep in thought. And although she couldn't she it, she knew that Gale had nodded.

"We had only just met, but yeah. I remember."

"Well, I knew that everything would be okay. I could honestly tell Katniss that she wouldn't have to go in the games because I made a choice a long time ago, that I would volunteer for her. But, I can't do that for Prim. I'm useless. There is nothing I can do to protect my family now." Kade's voice came out broken, yet no tears left her eyes. Gale had never seen her cry, and today wasn't going to be that day either.

It was silent for a long time. Neither of them knew exactly what to say. Finally, Gale broke the almost painful silence, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You're not useless Kade, you protect them everyday by hunting so they don't starve. And besides, Prim's name is only in there once. And Katniss will be fine. Everyone will be fine."

"It only takes one slip Gale."

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 **new story! Even though I've read the books, this story will be following the movies. I know this may be a little late considering that the movie franchise has already gotten to Mocking Jay part 2.**

 **No set pairing yet**

 **read, favorite, follow, review, please and thank you!**


	2. Unheard Prayers

Chapter 2! whoo! so, I'm new to publishing stories on , so you'll have to bear with me. Chapters will get longer, I promise!

Thanks for reading!

 **Disclaimer: I only own my concepts and OCs, Suzanne Collins owns the Hunger Games**

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Chapter 1

Kade stood next to her mother, her mahogany brown hair softly swaying in the light breeze. Her fingers danced wildly at her sides, twitching nervously as she searched for Prim and Katniss in the sea of teenagers.

"As usual, ladies first." Effie Trinket, District Twelve's escort and possibly the most purple Kade has ever seen at once, announced into the microphone. Kade's breath hitched, butterflies in her stomach, and not the warm lovey-dovey butterflies, the ominous flesh-eating butterflies.

The eldest Everdeen daughter didn't know what compelled her to, but in that moment, as the crowd anxiously waited for the name to be called, Kade grabbed for her mother's hand.

The two didn't look to each other, just clenched on as tight as possible, silently praying that the family remain intact, that neither of the two girls were chosen.

Yet, their prayers went unheard.

"Primrose Everdeen."

Effie's voice rang out in Kade's ears, and within half a second, Kade was screaming bloody murder thrashing against the peacekeepers, angrily kicking at them. "No! No! Prim!"

The attention of the crowd was now on Kade, whom was doing everything in her power to get to her crying sister.

And over the screams of Kade, one voice spoke out drowning out the rest, rendering her silent, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"

The rest didn't register for Kade. Gale carrying a crying Prim to her, Prim slamming her into a hug, Effie calling out the name of the male tribute. None of it made sense to Kade as she sat on her knees, throat raw, eyes glistening, but she never cried.

* * *

Gale places a hand on the small of Kade's back guiding her to the Justice Building. The young woman walked numbly, Prim's small hand clutched tight in peacekeepers sent a weary look towards Kade, the girl whom had been ready to beat them not moments ago before opening the door to the room Katniss was held in. Where they would say their goodbyes.

Kade wasn't condemning her to death, but being hopeful was just not something that she could afford. Because if she felt hope, then it would only hurt more if Katniss died.

Prim burst into the room tears in her eyes and the rest followed behind. While Prim begged Katniss to win, saying that she could come back, Kade looked around at the lavish room, noting how nicely furnished it was, and how it was only used once a year. When sending teens off to their death.

Katniss surprised Kade by slamming into her and engulfing her in a gut-wrenching hug. The younger sister clutched on to her, tears threatening to fall. Kade remained unresponsive, and slowly she moved her arms up to embrace Katniss, clenching her eyes shut in order to force back tears.

"Take care of them." Katniss whispered, her voice coming out broken.

Kade nodded into her shoulder, trembling slightly, " _I always do_."

And with that, Kade was ripped from Katniss' arms, being pushed out the doors roughly. Hearing Katniss call out to her.

This time not fighting them, Kade was shoved back, into the arms of Gale. Sending a glare their way, Gale rubbed his hand up and down Kade's arm in a comforting way, "Are you okay?"

All Kade could do was nod numbly, and back away from Gale. "Go." She tilted her head towards the room Katniss was waiting in. And with one last concerned look, Gale rushed in.

Kade backed away, out towards the door. Prim and her Mother had already gone home, to cry together. The eldest daughter wanted _nothing_ to do with it. So, she decided to go for a walk towards the woods to clear her head.

And that was when _he_ found her. As the man approached her defeated figure with a smirk on his face, fear washed over her body, halting all movements. He seemed vaguely familiar.

Yet, It was clear to her that he was not from the seam with his golden hair and chocolate brown eyes. But he wasn't a Capitolite much she could tell.

By the looks of it, she'd say maybe District Two, with his large muscular figure. But, what she couldn't figure out was why someone from District Two, would be in Twelve in the first place, or why he'd come to her.

"Hey, you're the eldest Everdeen girl right? The one who went all ballistic at the Reaping?" Kade clenched her fists at the amused tone in his voice, the way he'd said it so casually.

"Yeah. Who are you?" Kade bit out.

A grin formed on his smug face and he gestured to himself in a very pompous fashion. "Oh, little ol' me? Well, sweetheart, I'm the one who's going to make an offer that you simply _can't_ refuse."

 **ooh, this is where i'll be introducing a new character/concept of mine!**

 **so, sorry if there are any grammatical errors and such, i don't edit usually. sometimes i will, sometimes i won't so deal with it.**

 **thanks, bye xoxox**


	3. The Offer She Couldn't Refuse

**so here is where i introduce i new concept of mine to the world of hunger games. hope that you guys like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games. I do however own my OCs and the concept that will be presented in this very chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2 

She sat there for minutes, carefully analyzing him, calculating his every movement. It annoyed her that she couldn't figure this man out.

It also annoyed her that he couldn't wipe that smirk off his face.

The pair were in another one of the oh-so empty rooms that the Justice Building had to offer. Their eyes challenged each other, and she dangerously glared at him, almost sending chills down his spine. _Almost._

"You're angry." He stated, eyes dancing with amusement. "That's good."

"Good?" Kade seethed. She had just left the horrid building and now she was back, painfully reminding her that her sister and twenty-three other children would be sent off to their death. Like lambs to the slaughter.

"Yeah. Very good." The man chuckled a little causing Kade to stand up was not some toy he could play with, not some thing for his amusement.

He too pushed out of his chair, looking deep into her blazing eyes. It was eerily silent as the two stared at each other in a power struggle, a fight for dominance. A fight in which he won when peacekeepers rushed in and forced her back into the plush seat.

He chuckled again. "I can see I've made the right choice then."

Confusion spread across Kade's face like wild fire, her brows shooting up, "The right choice? In what?"

A shit eating grin stretched across his face as he extended his hand out towards her. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Witt Tully, head Tributekeeper."

The brunette's face dropped, confusion being replaced by fear as she looked into the eyes of possibly one of the most dangerous men in all of Panem. But, just as quickly as the fear came, Kade forced it down into the depths of herself, mustering the best smirk she could. "I don't suppose your name has anything to do with your lack of wittiness."

And Witt bellowed with laughter his head flinging back giving her the perfect view of his thick neck. She eyed the pen across from her, fingers itching to grab it and shove it in his throat. he was one of the most hated men in the Districts, she'd be doing everyone a favor. She'd be doing Katniss a favor.

Tributekeepers were quite possibly more disgusting than Capitolites. They were monsters who killed everyone, turned on their own district members. They were mutts to say the least, killing machines designed to move the games along, to add excitement. They were barely even human.

Kade kept her eyes trained on the pen too focused on it to even notice that he'd long since stopped laughing. Or that he'd caught her stare and chuckled lowly. Witt pulled out a rather large envelope, sliding towards her and grabbing the pen she was so interested in. "Sorry, were you going to use that? I kinda need it."

"Ah, so the man's name fits him."

Witt smiled genuinely that time, no smirk or grins, just a small smile. "Yes well, anyway, time to get down to business."

Again, confusion and curiosity got the best of her, and she leaned forward slightly to look at the papers in front of her, all with the Capitol insignia on the top left corner. "I don't understand. What does the Capitol want with me?"

"It's not what the Capitol wants, it's what _I_ want." And suddenly Kade grew very nervous. Her calloused palms began to sweat and her eyes darted back and forth from the papers to Witt.

Her suddenly dry throat itched, and she stared strongly into his brown eyes. The eyes of a killer. "And what exactly is it you want with me?"

Witt sat up, clasping his hands together, meeting her gaze, "How old are you?"

"Wha- Why do you want to know?"

"Just answer the questions. I have a feeling you don't want to know what happens if you become difficult." Witt's voice cut through the air, a threatening edge to it.

"Twenty." Kade dead-panned.

"And how many family members do you have?"

"Three."

"Soon maybe two." Kade grit her teeth at that, jaw tightening angrily.

"Three." She repeated, her voice having it's own threatening edge. A much darker one.

Witt smirked his annoying smirk yet again. "Okay, and any boyfriends? Lovers?" Kade looked down at her lap, shaking her head. His smirk grew, "Girlfriends maybe?"

"No."

"Kay, that's all good. Very very good."

Kade was growing very annoyed with his questioning, what was his point, why was he here? "Can we just cut straight to the point?" Kade bit, the edge in her voice growing sharper.

Again, Witt smirked. Holding his hands up in defense he spoke in a light-hearted voice, "Alright. Sure. A woman after my own heart." Kade rolled her eyes, but her mind raced with fear. "One more, I promise."

The menacing man sat forward, his hot breath fanning out on Kade's face. "If you could kill me, right here right now, how would you do it?"

Taken aback by his question, Kade snapped backwards, her spine hitting the back of the chair painfully. Confused by his question, Kade struggled to find words. "Well?" He asked so casually, so calmly.

Warily, her eyes scanned the room, searching for any answer. Her blue-grey eyes landed on a letter opener, just behind his head on the bookshelf and in an instant, Kade lurched across the desk knocking him backwards, and in one swift motion, she grabbed the sharp object bringing it down to his throat. "Like this."

Witt laughed, almost like applauding her, until she pressed the letter opener further into his neck, drawing blood. Kade was actually thinking about killing him, and she could probably do it.

But, she knew that she couldn't bring herself to do it. To take another person's life. And seeing her hesitation, Witt grabbed her small body, slamming her into the wooden desk.

Kade gasped for breath as his hands tightened around her throat, the smirk clear on his face. "You silly girl. You should have done it."

And after a full minute of her gasping, her swiftly let her go, sitting back into his seat and crossing his legs. Kade weakly crawled back to her seat, forcing herself to look up at him. She rubbed at her throat hoping it would relieve some of the tension.

"I-I-" She rasped, struggling to get the words out.

"You were weak. But don't worry. That can be fixed." A devilish smirk appeared on Witt's flawless feature.

Anger vibrated throughout Kade once more, the wooden arm rests almost cracking in her tight grip. "Enough of this bullshit. Just tell me what the hell you want already."

"I like you Everdeen. So, here's the deal.I'm offering you the position of District Twelve's very own Tributekeeper."

And Kade gritted her teeth, snapping out a sharp, "No."

Witt sat back in his seat casually shrugging his shoulders, "Aww come on. Don't you want to protect Katniss?"

At the sound of her name, Kade's features softened dramatically. And Witt knew that he had her. It was like clockwork. Manipulate some poor unsuspecting person, and turn them into lethal weapons.

"Why me?"

"One, you were so easy to get."

"You don't have me yet." That threw Witt for a loop. Somehow, he knew that she was serious, and his face dropped.

Clearing his throat in embarrassment, Witt tried again, "And, I've seen what you can do. I've heard what these people say about you. You, Kade Everdeen are absolutely deadly."

"So?"

Witt sighed running a hand over his face. "And with it being so last minute, we need someone like you. Someone already lethal. Someone who doesn't need months of training. With you, all I need is two weeks."

Kade's eyes narrowed. He should have never said that. Now Kade had the upper hand, and suddenly as if by some great miracle, the brunette's strength returned, words coming out smoothly, teasingly. "So, in a way, you need me?"

"Yes." He forced out.

"Okay." She shrugged so casually that Witt almost thought she was joking.

"What?"

"Okay I'll do it. But, I have conditions. If I die, my family gets all of my Capitol earnings." Kade's voice sounded so strong, commanding almost.

"Who said that you were going to be paid?"

"Please. I'm not stupid. How else would you convince the others to become public enemy number one to the Districts? Money entices almost everyone. Especially the poorer Districts."

Witt was taken aback. She was smart, cunning, and so much more than he'd originally thought. "You're quite the perceptive one."

Ignoring him, Kade continued, "Secondly, I want to be able to come back to Twelve at my own free will."

"Fine. Sure, whatever you want okay. We're not the Capitol's puppets, we're free to do whatever outside of the training months."

"And when is it not the training months?"

Witt shrugged, "February and August."

"That's it?" Kade's shocked voice rang out. Witt nodded. "Okay, that's all. I think."

"Thank god. I was getting quite tired of your little brat voice." Witt pushed the papers towards her, the smirk returning to his face. "Sign these and we can get this show on the road."

Suddenly, his voice grew very small, a warning tone in his voice, "Are you sure that this is what you want?"

The pair locked eyes for a moment, the pain in his own evident, the hesitation in hers. Swallowing the thick lump in her throat, Kade nodded not trusting her own voice at the moment. In a second, she had snatched the pen from Witt's grasp, signing her name on the line, thick black ink bleeding onto the paper.

And her thoughts flew to all of the blood that would be shed. The lives on her hands. Was she strong enough? The answer was no. But, she at least would be smart enough to act like it was all okay.

* * *

She never got a chance to say goodbye. To say goodbye to Prim, to her mother, to Gale.

As much as she hated putting the responsibility on Gale, she knew that he would take care of them for the time being. Until she had enough money to take care of them and Gale's family. But, knowing Gale, he wouldn't want anything to do with her after he see's her in the games.

In the moment though, all Kade could bring herself to worry about was protecting Katniss in the games. She'd kill for her and she'd die if it came to that.

The thought made Kade feel disgusted with herself. That she knew killing wouldn't be a problem for her, that it would come just as easily as breathing.

And Witt knew it too.

He seemed quite pleased with himself as Kade clutched tightly on the armrests of her seat in nervousness.

They were to depart in the Tributekeepers' very own hovercraft. "Scared?"

"No." Kade answered, her voice flat.

"Okay then." Witt chuckled. Before turning away from her and going to speak with some of the Peacekeepers.

In truth, Kade was more scared than she'd ever been. She'd left her family, She'd be going to the Capitol. She'd be killing people. None of it seemed real to her.

If there was one other emotion besides fear that she was feeling, it would be guilt. An immense wave of guilt washed over her. She never said goodbye. Her family had just lost Katniss and now they'd lost Kade.

Witt had assured her that her mother would be notified by a peacekeeper. But that didn't necessarily bring peace to her mind. Surely, they'd never accept her again, she'd probably be shunned, but none of that mattered to Kade, as long as they were taken care of.

It was easy to criticize Kade actions, call her heartless, stupid, etc. But, there had always been something inside of Kade, something that compelled her to protect. She wasn't someone who openly expressed their love and feelings.

Kade Everdeen was a protector. And perhaps thats all she'd ever be.

The young woman would die in the arena for Katniss and Prim. She'd do anything. And maybe that was her downfall, Kade would stop at nothing to help them, to get Katniss out of that arena alive.


	4. A World of Pain

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way own The Hunger Games Trilogy or movie franchise. which, i'm sure you already know. What i do own, or at least i think i do, is my OCs and the idea of Tributekeepers.**

 **thank you and goodnight.**

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Chapter 3 

Her back slammed down onto the mats with a dull thud. Swiftly scrambling to regain her defensive stance, her eyes watched warily as Hall circled around her. His red hair clung to his sweaty forehead, a sadistic smile on his face.

Kade's blue green orbs, unusual for a person in her district, calculated his moves, her body avoiding his blows. She needed time to think, to get use to his style of fighting. But he wasn't giving her any.

Hall threw punches left and right, sending kicks to her ribs. Everdeen wheezed, sucking in shallow breaths, trying to regenerate her strength.

"Stop thinking and just do!" Her deep and powerful voice yelled, almost shaking the room. Kade took a deep breath, simply nodding. The pair danced around each other, waiting for the other to make a move.

When Kade notice Hall take a small step forward, she quickly ducked and shot back up to deliver a hard precise punch to his throat. The brunette smirked as he lay sprawled out on the ground gasping for breath.

Bending down so her face was close to his, Kade spoke in a smooth teasing voice, "Sometimes thinking is good." She offered a hand, pulling up to stand. "You have a tell."

She made her way over to the large selection of knives, running her fingers along the smooth face. "You always take a step forward, with your right leg."

Hall rubbed a hand over his face, a grin forming. "I gotta give it to you, Twelve. For a stupid person, you're pretty smart." Kade snorted, rolling her eyes and continuing to study the various knives.

Her body hurt everywhere. Kade's toned muscles ached, her throat burned, and she was pretty sure that she had bruises littering her body. But, in some odd way, it felt good. She felt powerful, strong, and most importantly, she felt like she had a chance to protect Katniss.

Kade's fingers ghosted over the cool metal, eyes watching as Hall flung an axe at the line of targets twenty five feet away from them. "What's it like in Seven?"

Hall flung another axe at the target, using all of his force. "Listen, Twelve, it's best if you forget about the Districts."

"What? Why?" Kade slipped a thin blade into her palm, feeling out for the weight.

"Because, seven, twelve, it's not our homes anymore. And the longer you think about it, the more you wish that you never came here in the first place." His voice was soft, Kade even detected slight, sadness.

"Is that how you feel?"

The man from District Seven swung another axe, decapitating the dummy completely. "It doesn't matter how I feel."

Kade was silent after that. From what she'd heard, none of the other Tributekeepers had expressed any regret at their career. And yet, here was a man whom had been training here for only a day, a man whom had pushed her to her limits, a man who evidently didn't like what he was.

So, without another word to each other, Kade turned to the target, knives in hand. In a split second Kade had sent all four knives flying through the air, each hitting the bulls-eye.

"Damn." Hall breathed, from her left. The two shared a look for few moments, eyes boring into each other, before the loud blaring of the Capitol theme snapped them out of their reverie.

Their eyes turned to the monitor attached to the wall in front of them. It was the Tribute Parade. Both watched with their eyes glazed over, as the chariots pulled into view.

When the District Seven Tribute rolled onto the shot, Hall huffed and turned his attention back to his axes. "Fucking tree huggers."

Kade kept her eyes on the screen though, never once leaving the bright monitor in hopes of catching a glimpse of Katniss.

She was being doted on with roses everywhere, people shouting her name, shouting Peeta's name. Kade's heart swelled at the sight of her sister, she looked fierce. And just when Kade was about to turn away, a blade piercing her heart, Katniss was set on fire.

Her eyes shone with horror, but never leaving the figure of Katniss. She breathed a sigh of relief when Katniss and Peeta raised their interlocked hands, smiling brightly and waving to the crowd. Katniss was okay.

* * *

One week later

"It's just a little serum to enhance you."

"Enhance me?"

"Yeah, make you stronger, quicker, ya know, help you out in the games." Witt explained, the two walking down the pristine white hallway. "It's procedure. Get stuck with a needle, become a killing machine."

Witt shrugged casually, shoving his hands into his neat pockets. "What?!"

"Relax alright. It's all part of the job." He smirked. When Witt noticed that Kade was no longer following him, he stormed back to her, an angered look on his face. "Listen, Everdeen. You signed those papers, which means you go visit Doc and get fixed up real good."

""And if I refuse?" Kade glared defiantly.

"Then, I get to have a little fun." Witt replied, a wolfish grin on his face.

* * *

"Injection in three… two… one…" Kade grunted as the large needle pierced her skin, pushing deep into her forearm. Her hands balled into fists, and her eyes clenched shut as the cool red liquid entered her system.

It felt like hours that she sat there, holding back the screams that she so desperately wanted to let out. When her system finally calmed down, and breaths became even once again, she willed her eyes to open.

She wasn't met with a very pleasant sight. Her physician, Dr. Lyke, had a confused look on his face. He shared a few whispers to his assistant, whom also looked like he was quaking in his pants.

"What? Is something wrong?" Kade's voice came out frantic, it was never good sign when a Doctor seemed so unsure of something.

All that she could get out of him in return was a 'hmm'. Her eyes widened in fear, looking to the window where Witt stood in. Kade caught a glimpse of the angered look on his face just before he stormed off.

"Prep her for another set." Dr. Lyke's voice was unwavering and without any further instruction, his assistant hurriedly grabbed another syringe filled with the glowing red liquid, Kade's eyes watching in fear.

And without any warning, the needle was plunged into her wrist, serum running through her veins. This time, Kade did not hold back her screams.

Red hot searing pain rippled through her muscles, like a wildfire. Her groans of agony angrily ripping through the silence as Dr. Lyke's eyes gleamed with success.

Kade thrashed in her seat, arms tugging at the restraints. Her breathing grew labored, coming out in warm white puffs. She shrieked and jerking around.

The brunette writhed in pain, her cries for help soon turning into aggressive yells. Shouting above her ruckus, Witt bellowed, "Calm down Everdeen!"

And in an instant, all movement in the room stopped. 'Everdeen' sat still in the chair, eyes staring forward. "Now, are you ready to get to work?"

"Yes sir." Came out her monotone reply. Witt smirked victoriously. He finally had her.

* * *

 **okay so i get that this may be confusing but, a lot will be addressed in later chapters. basically, as Katniss is being trained, so is Kade. And the serum will be explained. just not right now.**

 **k thanks for reading! Bye xoxo**


	5. We All Have Our Numbers

"Who are you?"

Her heart hammered in her chest, breaths shallow. The brunette was covered in sweat and blood, her muscles tensing beneath the tight training tank top. She sent a small deadly blade flying into Witt's muscled shoulder.

"Who. Are. You?" He grunted out, ripping the knife from his flesh and throwing it to the ground. Witt advanced on her now, striking her jaw with a strong blow and sending her to the ground.

Looking up at him through her eyelashes, Kade gritted her teeth, the pent up anger showing through. "Everdeen. Tributekeeper Twelve."

Witt marched over, grabbing her by the elbows and forcefully drawing her up. The two stared for a long time, blank expressions on their faces. Ocean blue locked with dangerous brown, only this time, Kade was not battling Witt for dominance.

A sort of satisfied smirk overcame his features at her submissiveness. There was no challenging, no insubordination evident. Kade merely stood there in his grip, unmoving, her eyes waiting. Waiting for an order.

The man from Two promptly released her, a grin on his face. "When they said that you'd be completely obedient. I didn't think that you'd practically be a vegetable."

Witt looked over to the men observing in the corner, pleased expressions on their manicured faces, calling out to them in a confused, somewhat agitated voice, "She's like some pet. I tell her to jump, she jumps, I tell her to fight me, she near kills me."

"Twelve's results are better than expected. You should be satisfied with this outcome." Dr. Lyke responded, an arrogant look on his face. The surrounding doctors and gamemakers murmured their agreement, observing the subject.

"Well, she can't just be some mindless killer." Witt argued, guilt washing over him.

"She's been enhanced to be just that. Besides, she's not exactly mindless, her brain processes information at three times normal human speed."

"Listen here, Doc. If you want all those fancy-shmancy, uppity rainbow Capitolites to keep watching the Games and lovin' the Capitol, it might be best if she was actually human!" Anger seeped from his voice, eyes lit up in a blazing fury, "You can't just turn us into your lap dogs."

Emerging from the group of men, Seneca Crane straightened his tie, moving to inspect Kade. His face lit up with interest as Kade seethed under his cold touch. "She's not a lap dog. Subject Twelve here is just incredibly stoic."

Kade blinked, turning to look at Witt, who stood agape at the new Head Gamemaker. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"I mean, that she's capable of emotion, but she's just good at hiding it." Crane turned to Dr. Lyke, a disappointed look on his face, "Turns out, your results aren't as good as you had originally thought."

Seneca Crane's gentle touch sent shivers down the motionless girl, who looked over to Witt helplessly. His clammy hand reached up to cup her cheek, a slimy smile stretching across his lips. Kade cringed as his thumb brushed her lips.

The man in front of her made Kade feel too many emotions. Annoyance, anger, and fear were all present, disgust being at the top of the list. When Seneca trailed his hand down her collarbone, Kade's hand snapped up and in the blink of an eye she had her strong hands clasped around his neck.

Seneca's eyes grew wide as Kade continued to increase the pressure on his throat, cutting off air supply. His arms grabbed at her wildly, trying and failing to get the fuming girl to release.

Witt smirked, watching closely as Kade's eyes narrowed. Peacekeepers rushed forward, attempting to pry the girl's hands from Seneca's neck, but she only gripped harder.

Her face remained stoic as her ocean blue eyes watched the life slowly drain out of him. The Head Gamemaker's face grew purple, his system shutting down.

Before she could actually kill him though, one of the men dressed in all white pulled out his electric cattle prod and made contact with her bare shoulder. Kade faltered, her grip loosening, as the jolt ran through her body.

Finally, the brunette girl drop to the ground in agony completely releasing the petty man. Seneca fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for breath, the color returning to his face. "St-stop."

All eyes turned to the raspy voice, who held a hand out towards the peacekeepers, urging them to back away from the writhing girl. "Leave her be."

As the men backed away, Witt surged forward, crouching next to her crumpled body. The hard man gently took Kade in his arms, placing her on her feet.

Kade was surprised at how tentative Witt was being, given that he was a smug killer. Witt frowned as Kade winced and hissed at any movement. The two shared a look before, the Everdeen girl called out to the fleeing officials.

"We are not animals that you can poke and prod at. You may own us, but you don't control us."

Seneca and the others quickly left after that, Dr. Lyke sending a disappointed look Kade's way.

"So, you're one of us now?" Witt grinned as Kade made her way to the exit.

The brunette turned on her heel a frown on her face causing Witt to sober, "I used to despise your very existence, but… I'm beginning to understand that there's more to it. More to you and me."

* * *

Kade sat on the very edge of the plush couch, biting her nails nervously. All eyes were trained on the brightly lit screen, waiting to see how their tributes faired.

To see if they were even worth killing for.

"From District Five… with a score of… Five!" A loud yell could be heard followed by the smashing of a lamp.

Kade never took her eyes off the screen though, she was determined to memorize every tributes face and put a number with it.

As the night went on, there were many more outbursts. In the few weeks that she'd been with them, Kade had come to realize that while they were all trained killers, the Tributekeepers were just normal people.

She was just a normal person.

"From District Seven… Ash Blackburn… with a score of eight!" To her right, Hall nodded satisfied. "Willow… with a score of four!"

Kade removed her attention from the screen to spare a cautionary glance his way. At his neutral expression, she raised her brows in question. "She was never going to make it anyway."

"Well… it doesn't mean anything. Johanna Mason won her games by appearing to be weak." Kade offered, her gaze going back to the monitor.

"Huh, Johanna Mason was a sneaky little bitch. Willow is a frail little girl." Hall snorted, his eyes glazing over.

"She's sixteen. That's hardly a little girl."

A somber look made way to Hall's face and his voice grew serious, "Listen Twelve, most of us have been here for years. We all have our numbers, some of us higher than others. But sooner or later we all realize that it's better not to grow attached."

"What do you mean 'our numbers'?" Kade asked, her eyebrows furrowing, yet never taking her eyes off the screen.

"Twenty-four."

"What?"

"That's my number. Twenty-four" Noting the confused look on her face, Hall continued, "In my nine years here, I've killed thirty-four people."

Kade looked to the floor in shock, her gaze finally removing itself from the monitor. "How… um. How do you cope?" She asked wavering slightly, her throat suddenly very dry.

Hall scoffed crossing his muscular arms over his chest and leaning back into the couch. "We don't."

"I don't understand…"

"The Capitol likes to keep us fresh and they'd prefer sticking us in the ice box over buying new produce." The brunette furrowed her eyebrows at the older man's words. "So, the super secret special serum induces what we like to call a 'conscious coma'. "

"A conscious coma? That makes no sense what-so-ever."

"We call it that because although we're the ones killing and murdering, our minds aren't completely there." Hall explained his voice hushed.

Kade couldn't speak. Was that the Capitol's big secret all along? They take a select few from the Districts, train them to fight and kill, and then rent out their bodies? She couldn't tell what the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was or why the room was suddenly so hot, but what she did know, was that she needed to get out.

And so without another word, the one they called 'Twelve' was stumbling out of the room, bile rising up her throat.

"Katniss Everdeen with a score of… Eleven!"

* * *

The brunette stuck out like a sore thumb as she walked through the buzzing Capitol. Kade looked so… odd to the passing Capitolites, so odd that they sent the most hateful glares her way.

But, Kade couldn't be bothered to flinch or to even spare them a 'hello'.

She didn't know where exactly she was going, the Capitol not being too familiar even if she'd been living there for weeks now. Kade couldn't bring herself to find the bright lights and colorful wigs of the Capitol beautiful, in fact she found the faux aura of it all rather off putting.

Overwhelmed with the events of the past few days, she just kept walking until the noise was nothing but a dull hum and the lights a dim glow. The brunette found herself on the outskirts of town, by a gushing river and sat herself on the edge.

Something about the noise calmed her and Kade could feel herself breathing again. The previous constricting chest of hers eased, leaving her with a light feeling.

In that moment all she wanted to do was close her eyes and relish in the serene silence. That is, until a throat cleared beside her.

Kade's head whipped to the source of noise, her eyes landing on a bronze skinned man easing himself down next to her, a pair of oxfords in hand. She studied him wearily, looking to his eyes the color of the sea, his hair touched by the sun. His toned figure dressed in a navy suit made her believe that this man was not from the Capitol. But, if not the Capitol, where?

"I like to come here and just listen to the water. Reminds me of home. What about you?" His charming smooth voice drawled out, though Kade could detect a hint sadness, of defeat.

The girl remained silent, his question seemingly going unanswered. The bronze man smiled at her, maintaining a strong gaze. He was intrigued by her, he rarely ever saw anyone in the Capitol that wasn't dressed like a freak.

Freak was a relative term though, because he was sure that the Capitolites took one look at her and shuddered in disgust.

The silent brunette wore a white tank top and navy sweatpants, a matching sweatshirt loosely hanging off her couldn't be anymore different from the usual Capitolite, and that was a welcomed thought to him.

"We don't really have much water where I'm from. A few streams here and there, but it isn't much. There is a lake just outs-" Kade quickly stopped herself from revealing that she goes outside of the fence.

The man smiled brightly, liking that she replied to his question, liking the sound of her voice. "I'm Finnick, from District Four." He extended warm hand in her direction, charming grin growing when she took it in hers, shaking firmly.

Her hand wasn't what he expected, instead of soft and supple, it was hard and calloused surprisingly muscled. "Kade, Twelve."

Neither chose to expand on their name and neither choosing to ask for it, something both were eternally grateful for. A comfortable silence passed over the two, finally removing their gazes from each other and focusing on the fast moving river.

"You're eyes, they are unusual for people from Twelve right?" Finnick asked, moving his sea green eyes to meet her aqua.

Kade nodded a small smile coming over her face. "My father used to tell me that he almost didn't believe I was his daughter, if it weren't for the pig-headed stubbornness."

Finnick snorted, a smile forming on his strong features as well. "I guess you've got the heart of a Coal Miner then, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"If you're from Twelve, then what are you doing here of all places?"

For a while Kade didn't answer. And Finnick began to wonder if she was a tribute. It would have been a shame, he was beginning to enjoy the girl's company. Something about her presence calmed him, made him forget about the fact that he'd just been with a wild Capitolite.

He wasn't sure if it was her aqua eyes, better reminding him of home than the faux baby blue river in front of him, or the way words came out so easily around her. Usually he had to force himself to be charming, but with her, it was almost as if he didn't need to pretend.

Kade picked at her nails, jaw clenching and unclenching, "I'm a replacement."

"A replacement? For what?" Kade opened her mouth to answer, not exactly sure why she was going to in the first place, but a voice stopped her.

"Everdeen! What the hell are you doing? Get over here!" Said girl turned to spot a few of her colleagues, stumbling around drunk. Finnick couldn't make out the faces, so he just figured it was her friends or something.

Quickly, Kade stood, moving to approach the group, but something stopped her. Spinning around on her heel, the Everdeen girl smiled at Finnick waving goodbye.

When she turned back around and jogged over to the group, Finnick was left with a confused look on his face. _Everdeen? She was the Tribute from Twelve._ And although he was saddened by the revelation, he didn't have a conniption over it.

After all, he was _Finnick Odair_ , some random girl dying didn't bother him _too_ much.

 _What a shame._


	6. The Martyrs

**Disclaimer: I in no way own The Hunger Games trilogy, i only own my original characters and the concept of tributekeepers, which you will learn more about.**

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"Cheers to all the little suckers who got below a six! May god rest their souls!" Witt yelled out in an amused tone, raising his shot glass in the air.

The group collectively yelled out their consensus, though at this point no one was exactly sure what they were agreeing to.

Kade tilted her head back downing the burning liquid in one gulp. She'd grown quite the tolerance to alcohol, as her and Gale snuck off into the woods to drink a bottle of whiskey.

Gale had just turned fifteen, so she decided to swipe one of her father's old bottles and give her friend a birthday to remember. Needless to say, they both couldn't remember a thing.

And so, as a new tradition, every year on Gale's birthday Kade would find another one of her father's old bottles and the two would finish it.

The vibrant lights of the club they were in flashed around, lighting up the faces of her 'friends' every so often. Unfamiliar music pounded against her skull, the liquid in their cups rippling from the vibrations.

Kade watched with glazed over eyes as Witt and Twill, the keeper from Eight and a root of many problems for Kade, danced together.

It wasn't an environment that the girl from Twelve was used to, the closest thing to a club in her District being the Hob. And even that was a far stretch.

The group was sat in a private section, oddly shaped couches littering the area. Kade surveyed the space, concluding that the only ones not dancing or gone off with a Capitolite were Hall, Sabine, Thea, Orion, and herself. She was glad to see that they were all people that she enjoyed spending time with. Or rather that she didn't dislike.

Orion Bursmith was a rather quiet young man, who kept to himself most of the time, a neon colored drink in hand...well several drinks really. Kade never really talked to him, but that was because she'd always assumed he preferred to be alone. A brooding type. In fact, it wasn't uncommon among the keepers.

In reality there were two types of tributekeepers; the ones whom were cocky, cold, and calculating, and then there were the silent and sulking ones. But of course there is always a grey area, where some would fall into both or neither. That was a rarity.

Apparently, Orion was the latter of the two. As was Kade.

Although Hall thought he was being stealthy, Kade didn't miss the way he glanced at her in concern every so often. He knew that she would be uncomfortable, it being the first time that she'd ever actually been anywhere in the Capitol besides the large cluster of buildings used to accommodate the preparation for the games. The tall man from District Seven was in a deep conversation with Thea Galloway, a kind woman Kade had met in her first week of training whom she'd come to realize was also deadly. They all were.

In the short weeks that Kade had been in the Capitol, she'd figured out that there were the people you avoided and the people you clung on to.

* * *

They were a group of professional killers, and it was often that she found herself skating on thin ice.

 _Kade breathed in deeply, trying to keep up with the rest. The so called 'jog' was actually more of a sprint, and she found herself near the back of the pack. Behind her, Twill, the keeper from Eight jogged at a leisurely pace, a smirk present on her face._

" _Come on Twill! This isn't Career Academy, hurry the fuck up!" Witt roared from the front of the pack._

 _Twill's smirk only grew wider as Kade turned her head to send a look her way, tripping slightly because of it. "I don't need this little fun run, when the time comes to catch those sons o' bitches, y'all will be eating my dust!"_

" _The goal is to protect our tributes, not kill everyone." Kade dared, her eyes rolling._

" _What would you know about it, Newbie?" Twill challenged, her voice on edge. From the very moment Kade first stepped into the training room, the girl from eight despised her. She just seemed so hopelessly naive, thinking that she actually had a chance at saving her dear sister._

 _The fact that Kade was so ready to die, that she came so ready to save her sister, annoyed Twill to no end. The girl was absolutely stupid thinking that her sister was going to live. Twelve hasn't had a victor in years, what made her so special._

 _Kade kept quiet, keeping up with the fast pace of the others in front of her, while Twill continued to lag behind. "We're called Tributekeepers, not Tribute Killers."_

 _Suddenly, Twill lurched forward, picking up her pace so that she was beside Kade. "Oh honey you have no idea." And with a rough shove, the girl from Twelve was sent crashing into the loose gravel, small cuts littering the side of her body._

 _Roughly, Kade forced herself up and yelled for the group to stop. "Yeah, it's easy to run away isn't it?"_

" _Baby girl, don't start something you can't finish." Twill drawled out, laughter in her voice. The laughter ceased when Kade sent a swift blow to her jaw._

 _Quickly, Twill rounded on Kade meaning to throw a punch, only for it to be deflected. Kade pulled Twill close to her body and kneed her in the gut. A low groan erupted from her lips as Kade sent another punch to her face._

 _Not a minute later, Kade was on the ground gasping for breath and holding her bleeding sides in pain._

 _Kade's first lesson as a Tributekeeper : Never underestimate your opponent._

* * *

After that Kade and Twill had gotten into a few fights, it never going past a knife being held to Eight's throat. And Kade quickly made a habit of avoiding Twill.

A glass of bourbon hung between Kade's slender fingers, the amber liquid swirling around the crystal rim. Kade was, to say the least, bored. She didn't dance, she didn't like drinking games, and she definitely did not want to go home with a Capitolite. So that left her with only two things to do. Drink more alcohol, and watch as the Capitolites surrounded her colleagues, lust in their eyes.

It was no secret in the Capitol that Tributekeepers were something to be desired. There was something alluring about the way the held themselves, the strength and ferocity of their being that just caused the Capitolites to fawn over them.

When Sabine had informed her that people would be attracted to her and sometimes would pay for a night, Kade thought she'd never heard anything so idiotic.

Strength? Ferocity? They were killers, why would anyone pay to have them spend the night in their bed? But she forgets that these "people" are from the Capitol. That they take pleasure in watching teenagers fight to the death.

And so, Kade sat with animosity in her eyes watching as Witt grinded with the colorful Capitol women. She would never be that way.

Never would she welcome the company of them like that. Sure, she would be civil when she had to, but Kade wasn't overly fond of the eccentric people and their eccentric lifestyles.

"What's up yours?" Sabine asked, taking a sip of her wine and breaking Kade out of her thoughts.

Kade's head turned to face the keeper from District Five, an amused smile on her features. "I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing here."

The elder woman rolled her eyes, "It's family bonding time." She was only met with raised brows which caused her yes to roll yet again. "Oh come on it's not _that_ bad. They're leaving us alone," Sabine gestured to the Capitol men surrounding Twill and Elodie, the keeper from Four, "And, we have all the alcohol we could ever ask for. I'd say it's a pretty good night."

"Forgive me if I find this a tad bit uncomfortable. But this is supposed to be us mourning the tributes who scored low?" Kade spat out.

Sabine only chuckled bitterly, her eyes burning with emotion. "It's not celebrating their deaths. It's an excuse. A pathetic one I'll give you that, but an excuse nonetheless."

"For what?"

The keeper from five gestured out to the group with her wine glass, a somber look on her features. "Most of us have been here for years. After a while, things become blurred. It's hard to keep track of what happened what year and who we tried to protect another year. Faces become nothing but distant memories and the scores you're so hung up about don't really matter anymore."

" People like us, trained killers, we easily lose sight of the grand scheme of things. Listen Kade, I don't expect you to understand yet, but it's a distraction. An excuse for us to get drunk and party and not have to think about the fact that we are tasked with the responsibility for another person's life. Someone we don't even know and yet...we're programmed to protect them."

Kade kept silent, her mind mulling over the information. The Districts absolutely hated the Keepers… thought of them all as sellouts and psychos. But were they really this misunderstood? It appeared that Kade was learning the truth. And dreading what was to come for her. For Katniss. Inevitably what would become of her barely there family.

Sabine sighed and downed the rest of her glass, before standing up and looking down at Kade expectantly. "Come on. I want to show you something." Quickly, the girl from twelve shot out of her seat ready to follow the older and much wiser woman. Sabine glanced at Kade, "You're probably gonna need that."

Kade's eyes followed the woman's line of sight, to the crystal glass full of alcohol and complied, downing the contents wincing at the burn in her throat. "Where are we going?"

"Just come with me."

* * *

"What is this place?" Kade questioned, her head turning in all directions curiously.

Sabine flicked on a switch with a bored look on her face watching as the dome like room lit up. Kade's eyes danced in wonderment, videos littered the walls, playing on repeat, each of it's own kind. "A library."

" _Come on baby, just a few more steps! That's it, one foot in front of the other! You got it! Hahaha! My baby girl is walking!"_ Kade watched the father lift his child into his arms, a huge grin on his features, and she felt the corners of her mouth twitch up.

 _" Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever._"

 _" And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country._"

The young woman from district twelve looked over her shoulder to Sabine, her eyebrows raising in question. "Why did you bring me here?"

At first, the elder woman didn't say anything, she simply walked further into the room with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm told that you took this job to protect your sister, the tribute from twelve, Katniss right?" **  
**

Kade nodded slowly, not quite sure where Sabine was going. "This is probably the only place that you'll be able to find footage from before the… war, terrible war."

"And?"

"There's something incredibly remarkable about the determination people used to have. They were driven, strong, opinionated… it was simply the way they were made. You don't see that much anymore, nowadays people are sluggish and ignorant; blinded by fear. Kade, for people like us, things are painfully clear. We aren't the heroes in this story, nor are we the villains. We're the martyrs."

The girl from twelve gulped down the lump forming in her throat, watching Sabine with pained eyes. Kade felt the familiar sharp twisting motion in her stomach and the heart-wrenching guilt returned; the guilt she will always feel. "How can we the martyrs if we're the ones doing the killing?"

Sabine nodded, a brooding look taking over her futures. "Ya know, I given that same speech almost a dozen times, and no one's ever asked me that."Kade let out a laugh, but it came out more like a strangled sob. She didn't understand, it wasn't as if Sabine had said anything to upset her; so why was she on the brink of tears?

Perhaps it was because the finality of it all sank in; that this was her future, there was no after. The rest of her life would be spent being the Capitol's weapon, a means of harm; a means of destruction.

"We're all here for a reason. People like you come for your sisters and brothers; a noble cause. People like Hall and I, come because we're lost; because we have nowhere else to turn. And people like Witt and Twill, they come for glory; the rush of adrenaline one gets after a fresh kill."

"And I know that they may seem like very different things, and in a way, they are. But, we're all prepared to die for our causes; the ultimate price. No matter how hard you try not to be, we'll always be the martyrs."

* * *

Kade woke up with a start, groaning in protest as her limbs ached painfully. Running a hand through her knotty hair, she climbed out of the plus bed and moved to look at herself in the mirror. She looked like shit; and she looked better than she felt.

The eldest Everdeen was incredibly grateful that there wasn't training. No, today was the interviews. And tomorrow, was the games.

She felt dread pool in the pit of her stomach at the thought; tomorrow she would enter the arena, where she would kill anyone who got in her, or Katniss' way. She'd take lives, watch the light slowly seep out of their paned orbs, and feel the blood pour out of their wounds.

Kade felt absolutely sick to her stomach; she was going to lose the one part of her that made her, for lack of better words, a non-murderer.

Stepping into the cold shower, Kade turned on the searing hot water, letting her tense muscles relax against the water that pelted her skin. A little bit of pain felt good; it reminded her of what was important; the endgame, Katniss' survival.

It felt like she spent hours in there, her palm pressed against the cool tile, water droplets sliding down her smooth skin. By the time Kade finally shut off the water, her fingers were tender and wrinkly.

She absently pulled some clothes on, her mind on hyperdrive; so much was going on, and so much had yet to even happen. Behind her vibrant green eyes, there lied a darkness, deeper than any chasm. Kade had spent half the night seeing the tributes faces, bloody and cold; dead.

By late morning, Kade had decided to go on a run, to clear her mind, to get all of the dreadful thoughts out of her head. It use to always help when she went out to the meadow, so why not try it now? Apparently, that stress reliever didn't pan out so well for Kade in the Capitol. The luxurious places was turning out to be disappointment after disappointment for Kade. She spent hours just running around the bustling streets of the Capitol, getting dirty looks. If anything, it only added to her stress even more.

Kade was called back to the center for another one of her daily doses and was almost tempted to keep running; and if it weren't for the microscopic tracker placed in her finger, she would have.

"Beginning injections in five… four… three…" Kade watched curiously as Lyke's assistant hovered over her, the sharp needle in his hand shaking slightly. For whatever reason unknown to her, Dr. Lyke was not present in her final injection before the games. When she inquired as to why, the girl from twelve received an aggressive 'shut up' from Witt. Apparently, she wasn't the only one on edge.

She wasn't sure if it was just the incoming games, or the large doses of serum being injected, but it was definitely affecting her negatively… it was affecting everyone negatively.

"Two… one…" Kade winced as the thick needle pierced her skin, feeling the sledge like substance enter her bloodstream. "It hurts less and less every time." The young man nodded at her words, but she could see the fear in his eyes. He was afraid of her, even when she hadn't done anything yet. "You don't have to be scared of me, I'm not gonna do anything to you."

From the side of the room, Kade heard Witt scoff. "Last time you passed out, you held a scalpel against his throat." Her eyes widened in disbelief, flying to meet the poor boy's fear filled ones."I-I-"

"You couldn't control it then, you can now." Witt called again, but Kade's ears wouldn't hear it; they just kept playing his other words on repeat. Maybe it wasn't so far off after all, maybe her unwillingness to kill would be clouded by the sheer adrenaline of the chase; maybe she'd always had it in her to be a killer.

It was a morbid thought, yes, but in some ways it was true. When she first met Witt, she'd tried to kill him, she'd tried to kill the poor young man who stood before her, his hands shaking. Maybe, she'd always be a killer.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice came out in a breathy whisper, her eyes silently pleading him to forgive her.

The golden eyed boy simply nodded, turning away from her and rushing out of the room. Kade sat on the cold metal table, feeling her insides churn; she felt like she was going to throw up. Witt approached her with an impassive face, her shirt in hand. "Here." Kade took it from his large, warm hands, slipping it over her head effortlessly. She sat there with slumped shoulders, not believing what just transpired. "Twelve, you gotta stop that."

Her sea orbs looked up to his, in confusion and anger and… "Stop what?"

Witt gestured to her entire being like it was some sort of disease. "You're so… weak. You let things get to you too easily, think too much. Stop thinking and just do; don't feel, feelings just get in the way."

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes and Witt rolled his eyes. "So… You want me to be more like you? A cold, indifferent, arrogant asshole?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I want you to be. If you think for even one second that you'll be able to help your sister at all, then you're more pathetic than I thought." Kade swallowed the lump in her throat as Witt berated her with his sharp and harmful words. "The second we step into that arena, the Capitol owns our asses, every bit of fresh, sweet, juicy ass. You think that's suddenly gonna change because you want it to?"

Kade smiled wryly, a sardonic expression gracing her features. "I'm not the weak one. Maybe it's you… you said it yourself, the moment you get into the arena, they own you."

"The only reason that happens, is because _you're_ not strong enough. _You're_ the one who has nothing to live for but alcohol and fame. Having hope doesn't mean that I'm weak, it means that I have _more_ drive, _more_ determination, a _better_ chance at living."

* * *

"Phase one: find them. The arena's big, but it's not as hard as you might think. They're kids, they make major mistakes; all it takes is one."

Kade nodded, listening to the woman from Five's words. "And phase two?"

"Kill them…"

"That's it? It's just that easy? We find them and we kill them? It can't be that simple."

Sabine pursed her lips, looking towards Kade with a haunted look on her face. "But it is. As soon as we get into the arena, our brains are on hyperdrive. You'll do things, you didn't think you ever could, and you'll do them without hesitation. I'm warning you now Kade, don't fight it; I learned that the hard way. The arena changes everyone, not just the victors; they make people into killers."

Kade's brows furrowed in confusion. Why was everyone telling her that lately, Subliminally telling her that she won't be able to help Katniss; that is the only reason she even came to the Capitol, to save Katniss. "I get it. Spare my friends, kill my enemies, right?"

"Right." A pregnant silence filled the room and Kade's mind searched frantically for the answers to everyone's cryptic messages. "Well. We better get you ready for your interview."

"Interview?"

"Yeah, didn't Witt tell you? Every new Tributekeeper has to do an interview, to introduce yourself into the games, it's customary."

The girl from Twelve gritted her teeth, feeling her jaw clench tightly. She already didn't enjoy the idea of being offered money for sex, and now she was being offered nothing for entertainment? It all seemed a little one-sided to Kade. "And if I refuse?"

"You don't."

* * *

Kade rung her hands, playing at the hem of her dress nervously. She was in the last place she wanted to be, wearing the last thing she wanted to be wearing, all to do the last thing she wanted to do.

From her place behind the stage, Kade could hear the thousands of Capitolites cheering for their beloved Caesar Flickerman.

She sighed, wiping her sweaty palm down the side of the black fabric that clung to her. The stylists decided to have Kade wear a strapless black dress that contoured to the curves of her strong, defined body and ended just a few inches above her knees.

Kade would have felt more comfortable in her underwear than the constricting so-called 'dress'. She be happy to rip off the itchy fabric and streak around if that meant entertainment for the Capitol.

Her actual interview would come awhile before the Tributes, and in some odd way, she felt relieved; that meant she didn't have to see them prior to the games, prior to when she'd ultimately have to kill them. "Now, on to a more serious note. The last time you joined us for the games, we'd lost a person we held so dear. He was a courageous soul, who so bravely gave up his life for a young girl from his District; Bryon Plutt."

Suddenly, all of Kade's movements halted, her eyes flying upwards to stare at the monitor. No one had ever spoken about the previous Tributekeeper from Twelve around her. And each time she asked about him, she'd been given the whole 'it's best if you didn't know' spiel, a spiel that it seemed almost all of the keepers perfected to a tee.

"I always enjoyed the company of that young man, and am I right in assuming you did too?" The crowd cheere in reply. "But, all good things must come to an end, and with those tragic ends, we receive new beginnings, am I right?" Kade could hear the crescendo in his voice, getting more passionate with every word he spoke. It was easy for Kade to see why people liked his show so much, Caesar Flickerman was a good entertainer. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to introduce the new keeper from District Twelve, the bold, the beautiful, Kade Everdeen!"

Kade stood on wobbly legs, suddenly feeling very sick. Slowly she made her way to where she was to enter, halting when she faced the long line of young men in women donning their best clothing.

The breath left Kade's chest as she looked onto all of the innocent faces, lined up before her.

"Hahaha, where is our darling? Come out! You don't have to be shy!" Caesar's voice reached her ears muffled, the only thing reaching her mind was the fact that they were all glaring daggers at her, like they knew what she was going to have to do; kill them.

And like a deer in headlights, Kade stood there, not knowing what to do with herself, as the producers pushed her past the Tributes and onto the stage. It was there that she was faced with thousands, if not millions of cheering Capitolites, screaming out her name and throwing roses her way.

She didn't know what to do, her legs refused to move and she stood rooted in place as Caesar called out for her to come sit down. "Aww, she's a little shy folks, shh, shh, let's give her some time."

And almost as if she had an epiphany, right there in the eyes of the Capitol, Kade felt her heart sink.

 _We're the martyrs. We're the lambs to the slaughter._


	7. Those Ugly Truths

"I believe that the Games are a test; a test of our will. We as citizens of Panem have a duty not only to our leader, but to the people. Why sit back and watch the people of our districts fail that test, when we can help them, help them prove their allegiance, help them succeed. So Caesar, when you asked me, why did I become a tributekeeper, well, there's your answer."

Kade swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat at the way Witt Tully's words flowed from her mouth. How could it be that easy? That easy to lie to a million faces that she'd never seen before, to completely alienate herself, to lose her integrity.

The crowd cheered, obviously pleased with her answer; and why wouldn't they? Despite it being complete bullshit, it was a good answer. It was thought provoking and just oozed that wonderful Capitol patriotism.

"Ahaha, so eloquent Miss Everdeen! Isn't she just absolutely wonderful?" The crowd's cheer grew impossibly louder, Kade feeling extremely uncomfortable at their praise. This wasn't _her_ ; these weren't _her_ words, if they heard _her_ words, they'd be absolutely horrified. "But you can't say that your sister had nothing to do with this decision…"

Kade frowned at the mention of her sister; she'd been warned that it was most definitely going to be brought up but Kade had hoped not. Now, feeling an intense heat creeping up her neck, she grimaced, her focus now on the hands that lay in her lap.

"Katniss, can take care of herself; I know that. But, uh… I couldn't help myself. I always told myself that I would stop at nothing to protect her, and I meant it. Now, I can."

The crowd awed, begging for more; it was this heart wrenching stuff that really got them going. It wasn't the blood, guts, and gore, no, it was the tragic lives lost and breaking hearts that entertained them; it was sick.

"And Katniss volunteered for your other sister, Primrose. Now that's a selfless family, am I right?!" The crowd roared in agreement, Kade amazed at Caesar's ability to really amp up a crowd. Her eyes fell upon the roses now littering the stage, as the cheers continued; she wanted to cry. To her, roses weren't a sign of affection; they were a threat.

* * *

 _Kade stood at the soft knocks on her apartment door, straightening her rumpled shirt. It was early in the morning, and the sun was just peeking over the horizon. The night before had been another one of the many party nights, and Kade still hadn't gotten over the numerous drinks that had previously entered her system._

" _Miss Everdeen?" Her eyes trailed up to face a flamboyant looking man with a saccharine smile on his face. He held a large vase filled with a bouquet of white roses, a red envelope nested in the middle with her name written neatly on it._

" _Yes…" She answered warily, her hand clenching on the door, ready to shut it in his face._

 _His smile grew impossibly wider and Kade felt an uneasy feeling resting in the pit of her stomach. "Compliments of President Snow." Before she knew it, the bouquet was thrusted into her arms, the man leaning forward in anticipation._

 _Kade rose a manicured brow his way, as he continued his snoopy ways. Clearing his throat he nodded and stood up straight quickly leaving the premises. She stared at it curiously, wondering why President Snow would send her anything at all._

 _Swiftly snatching the card from the roses she opened it, the scent of blood filling her senses._

* * *

Kade was relieved when Caesar announced it was time for the tribute interviews to begin. She gave him a courteous hug, smiling widely; her insides drawing in, the uncomfortable feeling dissipating the moment her feet left the stage.

Rushing past the waiting Tributes, not giving them a second look in fear of what she might see, Kade made a beeline for the exit, gasping for breath as the cool outside air hit her face. Everything felt too claustrophobic, and she wanted nothing more than to wretch out her insides on the sidewalk; at least it would give her some sort of relief.

"You don't want to do that."

Kade straightened at the strangely familiar voice, furrowing her brows in confusion. Turning slowly, she was met with the amused gaze of Finnick Odair. Embarrassed, Kade tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and chuckled nervously. "At this point, I kind of do."

Finnick grinned, but it wasn't a grin that she was familiar with; it seemed forced, strained. "That was a great speech back there. Real inspiring."

"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Kade's voice had an edge to it, like she had to force herself to keep the truth hidden. The pair stood in the cold night, the streets of Panem, for once, empty. The buzz of the games had everyone in the building to watch the interviews; anyone who was anybody was there. "If you'll excuse me, I've had a busy day and think I'm just going to go now."

Before she was able to get anywhere, Finnick's hand shot out to grab her forearm. Kade turned to look at him once again, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. "Can I help you Mr. Odair?"

Finnick stared at her wide eyed, not sure what had compelled him to reach out. He stood there dumbfounded, the questioning look she was giving him not going unnoticed; he didn't blame her, he'd been confused himself. After composing himself, Finnick resorted back to his usual self, shaking off the odd feelings. "Secrets, Miss Everdeen, those are the building blocks of this great nation. And I have no doubt in my mind that you are going to fit in just wonderfully here."

Kade gulped, her muscles tensing under Finnick's touch and scrutiny. "I…"

"Have a good night Miss Everdeen." Finnick turned with a smirk on his face leaving a bewildered Kade standing in the brisk air, breathing heavily. Kade breathed out, feeling relief as she watched Finnick's figure fade back inside, leaving her alone.

She stood there with her brows furrowed, trying to decipher his words; but it proved futile.

Finnick Odair was undoubtedly, the most cryptic person she'd ever met.

* * *

The wind blew her chestnut hair, the strands hitting her face softly. "Do you ever think about what you'll do after all this?"

Kade sat with her knees pulled up to her chest next to a stretched out Hall on the roof, their shoulders touching. After he found her hurling into the toilet, Hall took Kade up to the roof to 'cool off'. "What do you mean 'after'?"

"After you leave. Ya know, I hate to say this but, you're getting kinda old right? So are you going to go back home; to Seven?"

For a while Hall was silent; debating whether or not he should be forceful or placid. Being forceful would allow him to get his point across without having to do much. Being placid would mean that he'd have to say all of the deep things in his mind. Forcefulness was much easier; but Hall cared for Kade, despite his unwillingness to admit it verbally and he owed as much to her.

Looking out into the skyline, the bright lights of the Capitol fading off in the distance, Hall sighed deeply. "I used to think there was an 'after'; having children and a wife and a boring job. Everdeen, this is it for us… we live and die as keepers. There is no after; no happy fairytale where we can go home to our families."

"And when you're old and grey and can't run around killing anymore, they dispose of you; because the Capitol has no use for deadweight. Trim the fat and replace is with fresher, leaner meat."

Kade swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling extremely dry. She nodded letting his words sink in, feeling the sharp pangs it left in her chest. Despite already puking out everything she had, Kade felt yet another strong urge to lean over the side and wretch.

Perhaps she should have read the contract a little more.

A warmth encased her clammy hand, Kade's eyes flitting down to see that Hall had covered hers with his extremely large one. They'd never showed any affection towards each other before, but there was always a mutual respect. This was different than a pat on the back; he was… comforting her. She forced a small smile as he squeezed in reassurance, not once moving his gaze from the city lights.

Kade, being left with no other choice than to accept those ugly truths, turned to look out on the skyline as well, her mind refusing to continue on the matter. After all, it was always easier to ignore the problem rather than face it; they'd been doing it their whole lives, the people of Panem had been doing it throughout the history of the Games.

And so, they both sat there with their hands holding on tightly, not sparing a glance at one another. It felt normal… safe.

* * *

Kade stood stoically as stylists prepared her. She stared at the wall in front of her, methodically counting the tiles over and over again. They'd tugged, plucked, pulled, and fluffed her to no end in preparation for what would be her first Games; her first kill. Of course she had to look absolutely wonderful while killing young girls and boys; it was the Capitol way.

Her mind whirled with thoughts, going back to the night before on the roof with Hall, and her conversations with Sabine. Kade was, in every way, grateful to have the two; but she couldn't help thinking that it would be easier if she didn't know all those things.

But right now, it didn't matter where Kade saw herself in ten years or why she was so comfortable with the idea of killing someone; all that mattered was getting Katniss out of the arena and home.

It didn't matter to Kade if Katniss hated her and never wanted to speak to her again; she made a choice to protect her and she was going to do just that.

Staring at the figure in the mirror, Kade fought back all the emotions that threatened to bubble to the surface. She wore a sort of uniform that would match the rest of the Keepers, but was still easy for them to _perform_ in. Everything was a dark grey with the emblem of the Capitol stitched; the cargo pants, the tank top, and the light jacket she wore overtop of everything. Even the world around her was grey; dull and unmoving, gloomy and depressing.

None of the keepers spoke to one another as they strapped various weapons to their bodies. It was almost as if the air surrounding them had taken all of the words out of their throats and replaced it with thick lumps.

Despite the fact that some of the keepers couldn't even remember a time when they weren't trained killers, it never got any easier; to kill, to see the faces that haunt you, none of it.

She didn't know what caused it, but soon Kade found her hand resting over Hall's incredibly large ones, an air of seriousness surrounding her. Her eyes, the color of the see met his icy blue ones, deep meaning hidden behind them; a hidden truth. "Thank you," They were words uttered in haste, but Hall could hear the seriousness behind them. "For everything."

Nodding to her, the burly man swallowed the lump in his throat, fear creeping up the back of his neck making his ginger hairs stand up. The feeling confused Hall to say the very least; fear wasn't a feeling that came often for a seasoned man like him, and even less when he feared for others. He wasn't sure what it was about Kade, but the young woman had probably come as close as anyone ever would to have his affections; and more importantly, his respect. There weren't many people whom had gained the approval of Hall, Sabine being one of the only ones he could name off the top of his head, and now that included Kade.

Twelve wasn't anything special, really, but something about her actually had him worrying for her. Hall worried for her; she was naive with so much she had yet to learn, and he often wondered if that would be what gets her in the end. Something had made him want to protect her from the world, and from her stubborn self.

It never ended well when a keeper had family in the games. Emotions got in the way, and soon they'd be making little mistakes that get them killed; by stupid teenagers no less. And somewhere deep in the back of his head, he didn't want that for Kade Everdeen.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Hall removed his hand from under hers, continuing to sharpen his axe.

It was then, that Hall resolved to forget about the stupid girl, because when it comes down to it he knew what decision he'd make. It was an ugly truth yes, but if it was his life or hers, the man from seven knew exactly what he'd do.

He'd fight for him, and only him.


	8. The Thrill of the Kill

_**Disclaimer: I'm probably not going to do these anymore since I can't seem to remain constant, but I'm pretty sure that you all get that I will never be Suzanne Collins or anyone who contributed to the Hunger Games Trilogy. So now that that's out of the way...**_

* * *

 _ **One.**_

"No! Please, please, no…"

"That's cute. You think begging will make me mercy you."

The knife tightened in her grip, waving it warningly at the figure above her. Her lower lip trembled in fear, as she clenched her eyes shut, hoping, wishing, waiting for it all to be over. Battered, beaten, and broken to the point of no return, the small girl waved the knife blindly, in what was her last defense. A defense that did nothing to stop them.

At least it was quick.

One sharp arrow through the head and she was done. Left with nothing but the clothes on her back. _They_ moved methodically, stuck in a constant loop.

 _ **Two.**_

"Well… Come on! Just do it already! You're sick you know that? Go and fu-"

This one was just the same as last time, quick and unforgiving. The taunting, the desperate screams of an animal backed into a corner did nothing to slow them down, nor did it resignate in their minds at all. Premeditated, precise, and pitiless.

Phase one: find them, an easy feat considering they were all sloppy, naive. It didn't matter how much survival skills the tributes were taught in training, _they_ would always find them. And by the time it was done, there was no escape.

Phase two: kill them, a much easier feat considering they lacked thought and skill. It didn't matter how much you begged, how hard you fought, _they_ always one. They would always win, even in death they would win; because they were feared and the moment you let yourself fear them, they one. It was a shame that everyone always let themselves fear.

Phase three: clean up, leave nothing to be taken, nothing for the remaining tributes to find and use, nothing to help them survive. _They'd_ pry it out of their cold, dead hands if they had to, and in some cases, they did. It could be seen as dishonorable, almost monster-like, but _they_ didn't really care.

It was methodical, no thinking was necessary, _they_ just did; almost as if they were on auto-pilot. Blindly killing, yet so aware of everything; every footprint in the dirt, every scent of blood in the wind, every crunching of leaves. Like a pack of hungry wolves they worked meticulously, moving in fixed patterns to trap their prey. Their moves were quick and precise, skillful as if they'd trained for years, and in some cases they had.

Looking upon their cold and vacant stares, _they_ were almost unrecognizable. They faces once alight with happiness and splattered across capitol advertisements and banners, no littered the television screens of Panem, blood streaming down like sweat from their pores. It seemed so natural, as if they'd been born with knifes and swords in their hands, born to muffle to screams of innocents, born to kill.

As scary a thought it may be, the tributekeepers of the Hunger Games seemed _anything but human_. They lacked pity, compassion, mercy, but even worse, they lacked emotion entirely. No outbursts of anger played across the screens of Panem as tributes berated them in their last breaths. As tributes spat their last pathetic insults, the Tributekeepers watched with glazed over eyes, grips preparing to embed knives, swords, and arrows into their bodies, preparing to watch as the light slipped from those young children's innocent eyes.

They spent their morning with no urgency, walking through the dense forests picking up the peices that the career pack had missed.

Witt and Twill had each taken a life with the aid of their fellow keepers.

Forced by Witt to leave the group and track on her own, Kade had killed two. Not one hour in the arena and she had killed two.

4 of the tributes had been picked off by the Keepers. 10 in the bloodbath. 8 remain.

Kade all alone and chest heaving from just recently having chased down the tall boy from District Ten. Wind played at her messy chestnut braid, the wisps of hair that had fallen out lightly whipping her face. The blood stained fingers splayed at her side twitched with need, craving a fresh kill like an addict going through withdrawls. Her mind screamed at her to keep going, something in the back of her head begging for the kill. It was pure and animalistic, leaving Kade feeling powerful, like she held all the cards and dealt the hand.

A small smirk washed over her dirt mussed features at the sight of her handy work. The boy from ten, an annoying little twat, sat back up against a tree, his grey stormy eyes void of life. A small incision at the base of his throat, oozed with blood, the thick red liquid dripping down his chest. Kade's own hands dripped with the same liquid, the crimson seeping into her very being. She felt exhilarated, the chase being more thrilling than anything she'd ever experienced. And now it was over, leaving her craving more.

The rules were simple. Don't kill your own District and make it entertaining. Kade grinned, bristling with the excitement that infected her core. There was a sadistic air to her, the enjoyment of her kills not hidden. She felt as if she were meant for this, that her life before meant nothing compared to that moment. That rush of adrenaline as they fought for breaths, under the mercy of her, it made her feel on top of the world.

And Kade never wanted to come down.

The moment that Kade had stepped into that arena, all remnants of an innocent, naive Kade Everdeen from the seam of District Twelve were gone. Tributekeeper Twelve was tainted by the thrill of the kill, and that was something that could never be changed.

* * *

 ** _So... I know that I rushed into the games a little and probably left out important details, but that was a short chapter to begin Kade's part in the games. For example, I know that I haven't really shown Katniss at all, but she'll be in there trust me._**

 ** _I'm thinking that each chapter is going to be short from now on, until the games portion is over. And then... who knows what. Kade isn't meant to be an antagonist in the traditional sense, as it seems she is in this chapter, but I was kind of hoping to show in later chapters the fact that she is more so an antagonist to her self. The substance in the serum that tributekeepers are given is really dark and I didn't want her to be Mary Sue so I wanted her to be effected just as the others are. Later on, you'll see the flaws to the serum._**

 ** _If anyone is confused on details feel free to review!_**


	9. The Weight of Living

**_Disclaimer: The only thing from this story that is my own creation would have to be Kade and her Tributekeepers, and any other_** ** _plot line/character that is unfamiliar to you as a reader of the books or a watcher of the movies._**

 ** _..._**

 ** _I find it troubling that I've gotten little response to this story- I'm not sure if it is because its no good- but PLEASE REVIEW! It'd be much appreciated. By the way, in the last chapter it said that 10 were killed in the bloodbath, but to fit my story purposes, it is now 7. That means at this point in the story, there are 11 tributes remaining._**

 ** _Anyway, here it is._**

* * *

Sooner or later, everybody must learn that it's the small moments in our lives that have the greatest impacts. Our lives are just made up of actions and sub-consequently, their outcomes.

Everyone has their defining moment, that split second when everything changes; and not necessarily for the better. Truthfully, it doesn't take much to break someone; to rip their hearts out and give them a newer, stranger one that they never thought they could have.

All it takes is that one moment.

Kade sent the blade plunging into the boy's jugular, relishing in the feel of hot blood pouring between her fingers. With a swift tug, the knife was out and the boy was sent tumbling into the ground. It was extremely quiet, save for the faint gurgling emanating from the lips that drowned in blood.

The keeper from twelve watched with glazed eyes as he struggled to hold onto life, the light slowly seeping out of him. She was unaffected by the sight, a sight she'd become far too used to in the past hours.

Kade had taken three lives. The female from district ten, the male from six, and the tribute boy from ten. It had been 7 days into the games, one since the Tributekeepers had entered, one since Kade had become a killer. Everything drove as if on autopilot, she felt no remorse, no fear, or hesitation. It came so naturally.

Hours passed before the skilled hunter came across another. Kade by now, had already walked the perimeter of the arena, and began moving in just as dawn approached.

Light flittered through the dense tree tops, giving the forest floor a glowing sort of look. Kade payed no mind to the pesky bugs that swirled through the thick forest air, nor did the cold winter air bother her. It was almost as if she was unaffected by everything, the elements nothing to her. For more than an hour, she'd been heading inwards, closer to the center where she and the rest of the keepers would be able to drive the remaining tributes to the cornucopia. And yet, suddenly, as if her mind had been turned elsewhere, a sort of switch in her brain flipped, Kade changed course and headed east.

There was an orange glow ahead, smoke billowing above and filling the skies ominously. With glazed eyes, the tributekeeper from twelve quickened her pace, knuckles turning white from her tight grip on the steel dagger in her hand. The bow strapped to her back bounced up and down, rising and falling from her back with every step she took. The communicator on her wrist beeped, halting her movements.

 ** _Surround fire. Wait for them to flush out._**

Kade continued walking, noting how the orange glow dimmed, and the smoke volume increased. In the distance she could hear the screams of tributes being hunted down, not even flinching when they hushed and the cannons sounded. She counted in her head, finally coming to the result that there were only eight remaining.

"KATNISS!" Kade's head whipped to the right, hearing the feminine screams for help. "Katniss!" Kade bursted off into a sprint, legs pumping hard and fast, feet pounding the dirt earth. The tribute just made it too easy, and the keepers were picking them off, one by one. "Katniss!" She followed the screams to the North, tuning in and judging that the source wasn't far. And their death even nearer. Just about a half a klick up the ridge, was where she found here, alone and crying.

The girl had dark skin, tears streaking down her face as the net pinned her down. Kade jumped down from the ledge she stood on, landing just 10 feet from the little tribute. She tried to move away, but only entangled herself in the net even more. Kade advanced, slowly and deliberately, taunting her prey in some sick game of cat and mouse. "Katniss!" The keeper looked down at the girl's terrified face, a blank stare on her own. Suddenly, the girl before her had soft blonde locks, and a sad smile on her lips. "Kade..." Said girl shook her head, getting the image of an oddly familiar girl out of her mind.

But she was still there. Her blond strands held in two braids, cheeks rosy, and eyes pleading. "Kade... please..."

"Prim?" The keeper took a step back in horror, nearly tripping on the twigs and leaves strewn about. Something didn't feel right, that itch in the back of her mind growing more irritating by the second. Kade fell to her knees, dropping the knife in her hand and staring at the sky with dazed eyes. She didn't understand what was happening, flashes of the past days infiltrating her mind, images of crowds cheering and a pair of sea-green eyes staring back at her. Kade felt lost, a monster with nowhere to go. Everything came rushing back, the feel of warm blood spilling onto her hands, remembering the training that had caused so many restless nights, the injections flowing in her veins. And the tears fell in a rushing motion, the young woman having no control as she screamed into the nothingness, feeling a part of her soul being ripped out of her. "No..."

"Katniss!" Kade risked a shaky glance at the girl beside her, seeing it wasn't the sister she was so fond of. But she was just as innocent, and just as young. And she almost killed her.

"Back off, Twelve. She's mine." Slowly, her blue-green orbs trailed up to the top of the ridge, seeing Elodie, the keeper from Four staring at the pair with a wolfish grin. "You've had you're fun. Now it's my turn." And without so much as a second thought, Elodie was racing down the hill, straight for the girl in the net. Kade stood, knife clenched in her balled fist, eyes shifting back and forth between the tribute and her fellow keeper worriedly.

She watched helplessly, unsure of what to do, as the keeper from Four reached the bottom of the ridge, Trident in hand. "Elodie... No..." A fist came down hard on Kade's face, her head whipping the the side with a sickening crunch. Kade fell to the ground, clutching her face as Elodie continued on to her target. Without being fully aware of what she was doing, Kade kicked her leg out, tripping Elodie. She scrambled to get on top of her, pinning her flailing limbs to the ground, but not without much struggle. Elodie grunted beneath her, wriggling under the weight of the larger woman. Kade had a height and weight advantage, but she'd seen Elodie in training- small and fast. They were both lethal in their own right. "Elodie, please... you don't want to do this."

Elodie spit in Kade's face, ramming her head to meet Kade's and watching in satisfaction as her opponent's neck whipped back. Kade squinted, disoriented as Elodie shoved her off and got to her feet. "Don't presume to know me, Twelve."

The two women then clashed in a deadly brawl, each throwing lethal blows and blocking them all the same. Kade pushed herself up from the ground with a groan, heart leaping out of her chest as Elodie posted her trident to spear the little girl. Running, her feet pounded into the ground, crashing into Elodie's side and sending them both to the ground.

"Katniss!"

The two rolled on the ground, ignoring the tribute's cries, Kade sitting on Elodie's chest and punching her face to the side. Elodie howled out in pain, her nose cracking under the force of Kade's fist. Elodie flipped onto her stomach, reaching behind her back to grab Kade's neck. In one swift movement, she moved all of her weight downwards, flipping Kade over her. Kade hit the ground hard, her knee slamming into a rock. Elodie stood, dragging Kade by her hair to a large boulder just at the edge of the ridge. Before Elodie had a chance to slam her into the object, Kade used her weight to her advantage, throwing her whole body back, Elodie slamming into the ground, Kade falling on top of her. Scrambling to reach a weapon, Kade rolled over, and quickly grabbed Elodie's discarded trident, whirling around to face Elodie. The girl from Four stood, and nearly growled, the sound coming out so feral and primal. With all her speed she came hurtling towards the keeper from Twelve, which Kade used to her advantage, quickly sidestepping and grabbing Elodie from the back. Kade held each side of the trident tightly, pulling backwards to cut off Elodie's air, the both of them slumping to the ground. Elodie's back was against Kade's front, struggling to free herself from the tight hold. Slowly she could feel the burning sensation feel her lungs, all the muscles in her face tightening while her body grew weak.

Kade positioned one end of the trident in the pit of her elbow, fingers reaching for the machete on her back. She grunted as Elodie fought against her, clawing at her face and kicking her legs. Risking it, Kade let go of her grip on the trident, throwing the machete to the young girl in the net. It landed in a clang beside her, the girl looking at it fearfully. Kade screamed out as she turned to fight Elodie, "GO!"

The small tribute whimpered, but began to cut the net confining her. By the time Kade had turned back around to face Elodie, she was already coming at her with her trident. Kade frantically pulled the bow off of her back, reaching into the quiver and pulling out a sleek steel arrow. With a deep breath, the arrow was drawn, her fingers brushing the side of her face as she prepared to let it fly. But her fingers wouldn't let go. They held tightly to the arrow as Elodie grew closer and closer. "Come on, come on..." Kade whispered to herself. Something inside of her wouldn't let her do it, like she was clinging to the last bit of humanity she had. She didn't know if she had the will to consciously kill another. Kade shut her eyes tight letting out a frustrated grunt as she steadied her aim. It was just another crazed animal... no difference. She took a deep breath, ears twitching at Elodie's guttural growls.

And then... nothing.

The arrow whizzed by her ear, the familiar whistle of the tip cutting through the air flooding her senses. Kade flinched as she heard Elodie's form tumble to the ground, eyes still squeezed shut. Slowly, one eyelid at a time, the light flittered in, hues of green fading in and out. Kade's trembling hands let the bow drop to the ground, leaves crunching under the weight. Kade let out a shaky breath, watching the blood slowly trickle towards her feet.

Elodie and Kade barely knew each other. But from what Kade knew, Elodie was always complaining about her lack of kills, like it was some prize to be earned. The worst part: Elodie said those things when completely serum free. She was determined to kill, possessed by some sick need to feel life at her hands, to see it leave this world. Elodie Hammers died with zero kills. For nothing.

Kade wished more than anything she could have given her kills to Elodie. If she could, she'd give it all away: the dull ache in her heart, the emptiness in her eyes, the sinking feeling in her stomach. Everything felt void. She could feel herself slipping away into the nothingness, letting the darkness envelop her entirely. She'd taken another life. This was the fourth time she'd killed a human being.

This, this moment-staring at the lifeless body of a girl she'd trained beside, a girl she consciously killed- this was her defining moment. The moment she lost all sense of who she once was, and felt the person she'd become was a complete stranger. There was something about taking the life of another that was different than any other defining moment. It stayed with someone forever, haunting them, never to be undone. Life was precious, never to be taken for granted. And it was especially important for someone like Kade- who watched people die everyday in her district.

She sunk to her knees, feeling the terrible bile rise in her throat. In a heap she collapsed, chest heaving up and down as she struggled to breathe. She knew what this was, she'd heard of it before, felt it only once other in her life- a panic attack. Her mind fed a constant supply of negativity, all that fear and guilt rising and rising until it suffocated her. It was like no matter how hard she tried, Kade just wouldn't let herself breathe; As if she was surrendering herself to the pain.

Kade had always been able to swim. There was a small lake outside of twelve that her and Katniss would go to when they were younger, carefree and happy. They used to swim for hours splashing each other with mad giggles erupting from their throats. There weren't many times like that- happy. It was a rare occurrence in twelve, and even rarer following their father's death.

But if there was a way to describe what she'd felt, she imagined it felt a lot like drowning. She gulped for air, but came up with none. Her chest burned, lungs straining to hold on. Of course, she was in the middle of the wood, no water source in sight. Somewhere in the distance Kade could hear talking, faint and muffled, as if she had her ear pressed up against a door. She struggled to decipher the sounds, to put them together and formulate a single word, but as the panic fully enveloped her, Kade was far from redemption.

Lying on her back, staring up at the swaying green, Kade felt her limbs grow heavy. It feels like she's going to die. In fact, she's almost sure of it. By now she'd lost too much blood, just faintly feeling the blood ooze out of the wound on her leg. Her knee was shattered, the bone protruding from the skin and blood flowing freely. The same voice is screaming out, and yet Kade can't think. Everything has jumbled up in her mind, and she can't register the voice's words. It's when her vision goes spotty, that Kade's ear pick up on the sound.

"KATNISS!"

Everything felt heavy, and her eyelids threatened to close. The calls grew louder and closer, Kade's resolve to stay alive for Katniss wearing thin. She couldn't hold on for much longer, and she wondered if it was even worth it. Would it be worth it to pathetically hold onto life when the weight of so many others had rested on hers? She'd killed too many. _What right did she have to live anymore?_

And as the darkness over took her, from her lips drew a single word. It was soft, like a whisper, almost a plea,

"Katniss..."


End file.
